Monday, November 18, 2019

The Influence of Righteousness (Studies in Proverbs)


SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/18/2013 10:11 PM
My Worship Time                                          Focus:  PT-2 “The influence of Righteousness”
Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Studies in Proverbs
            Message of the verses:  We will look at the second sub-point under the main point Dr. Wiersbe entitles “The Influence of Righteousness” in today’s SD.
            They are blessed in their home.  I guess a fair question would be who are the ones who are blessed in their home?  The answer to this question is the ones who practice righteousness.  Jesus stated in Matthew:”Mt 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” 
            Proverbs 3:33 states “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.”  Next we look at Proverbs 14:11 in the NKJV:  “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, But the tent of the upright will flourish.”  We notice that in this verse the wicked live in a house while the righteous lives in a tent, but the tent is like a palace compared to the house of the wicked person’s house.  Proverbs 12:7 says “The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.” 
            In the Hebrew culture the house not only refers to the structure, but also the family who lives in the structure.  This would mean that the children of the godly are also included in the blessing, “A righteous man who walks in his integrity- How blessed are his sons after him (Pr. 20:7).”  We can also see this in Proverbs 24:3-4, “3 By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; 4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.”  Proverbs 14:1 states “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”
            One of the greatest blessings a person can have is to be a blessing to their children and also to their grandchildren as seen in Psalm 37:25, I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.”  We will see from Proverbs 13:22 that this blessing includes material things, but the application is mostly for spiritual things, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”
            Dr. Wiersbe tells the informative story about himself by stating “When I was born, a doctor told my parents that I wouldn’t live beyond the age of two; yet the Lord enabled them to raise me, even though I wasn’t a robust child.  Why did I survive?  Partly because of a great grandfather who had prayed years before that there would be a preacher of the Gospel in every generation of our family—and there has been!  ‘The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot’ (Pr. 10:7).”
            Proverbs 27:8 states, “Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.”  As Americans we are much different than the people who lived in ancient Israel, for Americans move away from their homes and families at about the rate of 17%, while in ancient Israel the families stayed mostly around their homes.  I read or heard that when a son would marry that his father would add on to his home and thus they would all live in the same building.  If you are familiar with the TV show the “Walton’s” you can get an idea of what I am talking about.  Proverbs 27:8 is not only about the physical moving, but also about the spiritual.  I remember when I got home from Florida in 1974 where I had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into my life that my mother told me that she had been praying for me to which I was very grateful.  I had already moved out of the house and was married, but mom kept on praying for me. 
            Looks like we will have one more section to cover and we will try to accomplish it tomorrow.
            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  On my prayer list that I try to use each day I pray for my grandchildren that God would save them at an early age and that they would walk with the Lord throughout their life.  It seems like this is the kind of thing that we have been learning from this section.
My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to pray for my grand-children each and every day, and also pray for their parents too as they would raise them.
Memory verses for the week:  Psalm 32:1-7
            1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!  2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!  3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.  4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away like the fever heat of summer. Selah.  5  I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.  6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. 
            7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Answer to yesterday’s question:  “Esau” (Genesis 25:30-31)
Today’s question:  “Who was not a writer of the New Testament: A. Philemon, B. Mark, C. John, or D. Peter.”
Answer in tomorrow’s SD.
3/18/2013 10:56 PM

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